Thaddeus Stevens College Tower magazine Winter Spring 2025 - 8

Chad Hummel, second from left, the College's second-year
Masonry Construction Technology instructor, with masonry
students at this year's Home Construction Project build site.
MASONRY CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY:
A SOLID FOUNDATION
BALANCING COMFORT & EFFICIENCY: HVAC-R
Masonry students balance learning the tools
and materials of the trade while also putting
skills into practice on the home project.
" With masonry, the basics are everything. It's the
foundation of your craft, " says instructor and '00
alumnus Chad Hummel. " They learn how to use these
foundational skills, work with blueprints, and manage
techniques to construct masonry on this home. "
Chad says the key part of the masonry phase is getting
the home ready inside and out. Their work involves
everything from the firewall to finishing touches, such
as veneer work with the second-year students.
" This year we're doing veneer brick around the
foundation to match the brickwork on the house, " he
says, a nod to Cyler's " Bulldog maroon " touches.
Chad participated in a home construction project when
he was a student at Thaddeus Stevens College and says it
remains an ideal way to prepare for job site collaboration.
" The best education you can possibly get when it comes
to learning a craft is to actually build the home. And the
great thing is they're building it with their peers, " he says.
7 : Tower Magazine
Ty Christman, instructor, explains that HVAC-R
systems go mostly unnoticed-until something's
not working. And that's what makes this
behind-the-scenes work so important.
" When you walk up to a house, you're looking at what
color the walls are, the nice windows, the pretty doors,
the kitchen, " he explains. " You're looking at everything
except the thing that makes the house comfortable. "
Creating an optimal atmosphere inside a home involves
analyzing variables like square footage, building
materials, window sizes, and type of insulation. Ty and
his fellow instructor Bruce Hrycek guide their students
through every step, from load calculations and ductwork
to system installation and testing. Air quality is a big
focus, especially in today's high-efficiency homes.
" The tighter these houses get, the more indoor
air quality has to be considered, " Bruce explains.
" Where does the carbon dioxide we breathe out
go? Where is the oxygen coming from? "
Bruce also highlights how homes and technology keep
evolving to meet regulations, such as the industry
shift moving to propane-based refrigerants.
Thaddeus Stevens College Tower magazine Winter Spring 2025

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Thaddeus Stevens College Tower magazine Winter Spring 2025
